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Sunday, April 29, 2012

Its that time again, time to work 12 hour shifts don our chem gear and exercise exercise exercise. It's always a long week when we have to do an exercise on base. It means working a week straight playing "war games" basically to keep us trained in situations we might face in a deployed environment. But it does become exhausting on the 3rd or 4th day working a 12 hour shift wearing a flak vest and chem. gear that weigh up to 50 lbs. plus sucking plastic for hours literally sucks lol and by sucking plastic I mean wearing a chem. mask.

At home my poor dog Ardie suffers as well, working such long hours there's barley anytime to shower him with attention. Same goes for the hubby, since we are working separate shifts I go to work 6am to 6pm and he goes in at 6pm- to 6am. So our paths don't cross the whole week. Means dinner for one, which means making a sandwich or take out. No biggy though its part of the job and its just a week and soon enough we go back to our regular shifts.

So why the cookies when I should be sleeping. Well it is a weekend and even though I'm working I gotta have my sweets, also I like taking goodies to work to help lift everyones morale during a exercise week and this batch makes a massive amount of cookies.

These cookies are diffidently worth losing just a wee bit of sleep over, they are the best milk sponges I have ever had. I've been using this recipe for years and the pudding mix always helps make the cookies more fluffy and cake like which makes it the perfect chocolate chip cookie to dunk in milk.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F
In a large bowl shift together the flour and baking soda and set aside
In a electric mixer cream together the butter, brown and white sugar. Once combined mix in the instant pudding mix, blend well. Add your eggs and vanilla and mix till combined. Blend in the flour mixture and once fully mixed in add your chocolate chunks. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto a ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

So today was just one of those days that didn't work out with
grocery shopping. I had a wonderful idea to recreate my all time favorite
sandwich from a cafe back in Anchorage.

I thought about it all day at work and once 1600 rolled around and
we were dismissed from our flight chief I went straight to the commissary,
didn't even change out of my uniform. I pulled into the parking lot and retreat
starts playing over the sound system on base. Once the national anthem was done
playing I exited my car (fyi you cannot walk/drive when the national anthem is
playing on base).

I find the first ingredient right off the bat, kalamata
olives. I thought hey I’m off to a good start. I headed over to the
deli section to retrieve my goat cheese and was extremely disappointed to find
that the shipment hadn’t arrived yet :( sad faced I walked away not completely
defeated yet. I figured I would gather everything else I needed and wait
for Thursday to arrive and pick up the cheese. So I go to the small shelve that
is suppose to have pesto sitting there waiting for me and nothing! Gone poof, again waiting on shipment. Fine! I will make my own pesto, nope... out of basil
in the produce aisle. hmpf I give up.

I finally admitted defeat
and resumed grocery shopping. Not all was a waste today, my banana's decided
they were going to ripe overnight (literally) and I needed to use them right
away. I hate throwing out food, especially produce and veggies, their not cheap
in Japan.

By the way this Banana Bread is delicious! I used coconut oil
instead of butter and it came out extremely light and moist. Diffidently made up for the unsuccessful grocery trip.

Banana Bread

Adapted my nana's recipe

Yields: 2 mini loafs or one regular sized 9x5 loaf pan

Time: mini loafs 45 Min Regular 55-65 Min

Ingredients

1 1/4 Flour

1/2 teaspoon Baking soda

1/8 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground Nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground Ginger

1/2 cup packed Brown sugar

2 ripe Banana's

1 Egg

1/3 Cup Coconut Oil (the consistency is like shortening or butter)

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

2 Tablespoons Almond Milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F

Grease your loaf pan(s) with cooking spray

In a medium bowl combine your flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and whisk. In a small bowl mash your bananas and set aside

In another small bowl cream together coconut oil and brown sugar, add your egg and vanilla. Stir in your mashed banana's and mix until combined. Take the wet mixture and combined with the dry mixture. Stir until just moisten, add in your almond milk to help combined the wet and dry together. Pour batter into loaf pan(s). I used mini loaf pans and baked for 45 minutes until tooth picked inserted came out clean. If using a 9x5 pan bake for 55-65 minutes and insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Starting on Thursday I like to take a poll at work and find out what kind of cupcake I should make on the weekend that I will eventually bring in on Monday to share with everyone.

Oreo's were the chosen ingredient this week. I didn't want to make just a regular Oreo cupcake, if I was going to use Oreo's I wanted to go over the top. I wanted Oreo in the batter, Oreo in the frosting and something Oreo stuffed in the middle of the cupcake.

On my lunch break at work I love to drool over food blogs, it's amazing how many are out there. I found this awesome blog called Love From the Oven and she had the brillant idea of using Oreos mashed together with cream cheese and made into a truffel to place in the middle of the batter.
Now I had all my components for the ultimate cookies & cream cupcake :)

If you are an Oreo lover then this cupcake is for you!

The Ultimate Cookies & Cream Cupcake

For the cake portion Adapted From Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications 2012

Bake Time: 19 Minutes

Yields: 30 Cupcakes

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Butter

3 Eggs

2 1/2 Cups Flour

2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 Cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 Cups Almond Milk

3/4 Cup crushed Oreos (using a food processor is the easiest way for me)

* Use a food processor to grind up oreos and then combine by hand with the cream cheese until fully mixed and formed into a big ball.

Directions

Let your eggs and butter sit at room temperature for at least 45 min.

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a two cupcake tins with cupcake liners.In a medium bowl mix your dry ingredients together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a electric mixer on medium high beat the butter for 30 seconds and add your sugar until combined and looks light and fluffy about 2 min. Beat in your eggs one at a time until fully combined. Alternately add you flour mixture and almond milk to the batter until just combined. Fold in the oreos with a spoon or spatula.To fill your cupcake liners add a small scoop of batter into a liner and take a tablespoon of truffel from your oreo ball and roll it into a ball and place on top of the batter. Scoop in more batter until 3/4 full and bake for 19 Min. Let cool on a wire rack.

3/4 Cups crushed Oreo (using a food processor is the easiest way for me)

Directions

Using a electric mixer beat the butter on medium high for 30 seconds. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and dash of salt.

Mix until combined. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar until combined. Add 1/4 cup whipping cream and 4 more cups of powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add 2 to 3 more tablespoons of whipping cream until the frosting is smooth and fluffy and at the pipping consistency your want. Add in 3/4 cup crushed oreo and stir until fully combined with frosting.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Okay I know Rice Kripsy treats isn't much of a recipe, nothing to ooh and awe over but I needed something sweet. I gotta have my fix, you know it being Saturday and my cheat day and all. I have a very good excuse to put my plans for an ultimate cupcake on the back burner till tomorrow. SUN! the weather was a.m.a.z.i.n.g today, Just gorgeous outside. So tomorrow I will have to wait for my ultimate cupcake because today was all about soaking up some vitamin D.
There is a fun ingredient in these Rice Krispy treats, it's all about the marshmallows I found at the commissary. I picked up some german chocolate cake flavored marshmallows that are coated in coconut and have been drooling to use them forever. So whats easier for a sweet tooth fix then whipping up Rice Krispy treats in under 15 minutes.

German Chocolate Cake Rice Krispy Treats

By Oishii Treats

Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Butter

1 Bag of german chocolate cake marshmallows

1 Cup mini marshmallows

5 Cups rice crispy cereal

Directions

grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

On the stove top on low to medium heat melt the butter and marshmallows in a large pot. once melted add you cereal and combined until fully mixed. Pour into greased pan and using a big sheet of wax paper push down the rice krispy mixture until even.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Who here has a bad habit about remembering to take their vitamins and eating their greens? It's okay to speak up we all can't be good all the time. To tell you the truth I have a bad habit about not taking my vitamins and I tell myself all the time to eat more leafy greens, though my plate is oddly missing them. I like salads but I also like dressing and tend to use more then the recommended serving, so that healthy low cal salad isn't so healthy and low cal anymore.
The easiest and tastiest way I found for me to eat my greens and take my vitamins is by making a smoothie. Super easy super fast and you can take it on the go. I like to make them for breakfast, there's so many different variations of delicious smoothies you can make you won't get bored during the week.

Vitamin Packed Smoothie

By Oishii Treats

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 Ripe banana

1 Cup frozen mixed berries

1 4oz container of plain greek yogurt

1/2 Cup spinach

1 Cup Kale (3 big leafs with the ribs removed)

1/2 scoop of vanilla whey protein

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Put all ingredients into a blender and mix well.

When I first made this I thought I'd have to add some agave or honey, but this smoothie is surprisingly sweet enough without it. The ripe banana and berries really help hide the kale and spinach taste, if you don't want to drink a salad but still get the benefits of one ;) Plus here is the nutritional data on my smoothie. I found a website that can take all your ingredients in your recipe and come up with the nutritional information. Happy slurping

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Okay I just have to say YAY! I passed my PT (physical fitness test) today with a 97.4% means I'm fit to fight for another year in the military. Also If you know me, you would know I try not to make dessert on the weekdays unless its for a special occasion. Well since I work in a maintenance shop with 40 other people it's not unusual for someones birthday to pop up once or twice a month. Today is Danielle's 21st birthday, very big b-day for any young adult, even more so in the military. Because that means you can enjoy in the festivities with your coworkers out on the town instead of being the designated driver all the time. That honorary title goes to the next under 21 year old Airman. and the cycle goes on. So Danielle I hope you enjoy your vanilla bean cupcakes and a legal drink on me :)

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Bean Butter Frosting

From Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications 2012

Yields: 12 Cupcakes and 12 mini Cupcakes

Bake Time: reg: 18 min. mini: 14 min.

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Butter

1 Egg

2 Egg yolks

1 Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise

1 1/2 Cup Flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 Sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 Cup whipping cream

Directions

Let your eggs and butter sit at room temperature for at least 45 min.

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a cupcake tin with 12 regular sized muffin cups and mini tin with 12 mini muffin cups (if you have a 24 mini tin, put a muffin cup into every other tin cup).

In a medium bowl mix your dry ingredients together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a electric mixer on medium high beat the butter for 30 seconds and add your sugar until combined. Beat in your egg and yolks one at a time and vanilla bean seeds (scraped out of the bean) until mixed. Alternately add you flour mixture and whipping cream to the batter until just combined.

Fill your muffin cups 3/4 full and bake the regular sized cupcakes for 18 minutes and the mini cupcakes at 14 minutes.

Using a electric mixer beat the butter on medium high for 30 seconds. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, (clear vanilla if you want the frosting to stay bright white) vanilla bean seeds and dash of salt.

Mix until combined. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar until combined. Add 1/4 cup whipping cream and 4 more cups of powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add 2 to 3 more tablespoons of whipping cream until the frosting is smooth and fluffy and at pipping consistency.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

I love my cupcake magazine I picked up a few weeks ago, I can't stop trying different recipes from it. I've been craving lemon and raspberry for sometime now and finally had time to whip up a batch of cupcakes today just for me :) Plus I found a photography club on base started by a couple of Airman and attended a very helpful workshop today. Lots of great info and hopefully some great photos. By the way the lemon cupcake rocks! super moist and not to much lemon flavor to overwhelm the cake.

Lemon Cupcakes w/ Raspberry Buttercream

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications 2012

Directions
Let your butter and eggs stand a room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile line two cupcake tins with liners and preheat over to 350 F. Combine your dry ingredients (except the sugar) flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
Beat the butter in a electric mixer for 30 seconds on medium high speed. Add your sugar and shredded lemon peel and mix till combined. Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing after each addition. Alternatly add your milk and dry mixutre to the batter and beat on low speed to just combined. (note: the least amount of time you spend mixing the fluffier and moist the cake will be)
Spoon batter in the cupcake liners to 3/4 full and bake for 17 mintues or until toothpick instered comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from tin and let cool on wire rack.

Raspberry Buttercream

Ingredients

1/2 Cup butter

1/2 Cup raspberry (fresh or frozen..thawed)

4 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

using a fine mesh strainer, mash your raspberries in the strainer over a bowl to remove the seeds. this makes for a smoother frosting. if you don't mind the seeds skip this step. Add your butter, vanilla, raspberries and salt and beat till combined, then add your powdered sugar in about 1/2 cup at a time, until fully combined and smooth.

Frost your cupcakes and sprinkle the crushed candie on top, dont forget to add the raspberry on top.

Friday, April 13, 2012

I have big plans for this syrup! I cannot wait to make brunch on Sunday morning, I'm still struggling with three different pancakes I want to make, but at least I have my syrup already made and ready to go. Because there is never enough stove tops available when you are making brunch.

Directions
Bring the juice, sugar and lemon juice to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Turn the heat down to medium to a low boil, Boil for about 10 min. Add your cornstarch and stir well keep the sauce at a low boil for another 10-15 min. or until the syrup has thicken. (The syrup will also thicken up a little bit once it's cool down)

Monday, April 9, 2012

It wasn't always easy to recreate the same meals I use to eat when I wasn't a vegetarian. In the beginning I would have those feelings of missing a certain sandwich or comfort food that contained meat and didn't know how to prepare a veggie version of that dish. After a couple of years of trial and error and experimenting with vegetarian products and other substitutes to recreate my old favorite dishes; I found that by making the veggie version of an old favorite was just as good, even better than the old version. What I love about food blogging is sharing ideas, experiences and recipes with so many people who help inspire new ideas and ways to try and develop or enhance old recipes or just learn how to make something new.

When I make this BLT I'm always reminded of the day a few years ago in Alaska when I first saw Morning Star bacon in the grocery star. I think my eyes went wide and I started drooling (just a little) when I realized I could make a BLT, after not having one for about a year. Nothing will ever taste like real bacon in a BLT, but this veggie version sure as hell comes close :)

Vegetarian BLT

Oishii Treat Original

Yields: 2 Sandwiches

Ingredients

8 Slices of Morning Star Bacon

4 Slices of your favorite bread (I used whole wheat)

Miracle Whip

1 Tomato

1/4 Red Onion

1/2 Avocado

Baby Spinach

Directions

Cook the fake bacon on medium high heat in a large pan sprayed with cooking oil. Cook until the strips are crisp about 3-4 minutes on each side. place on a paper towel, they will stiffen up. (if you can break them in half their done, I like the bacon strips to be crisp)

Toast your bread and spread miracle whip onto each slice. Using 4 slices of bacon for 1 sandwich break the bacon slices in half and layer onto 1 slice of bread, add your onions, spinach, avocado and tomatos and top it off with the other slice of bread.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Yay thanks to another birthday this week I have the excuse and pleasure to make some more cupcakes!..... Oh boy do you need a tall glass of milk to go with these babies. These cupcakes are a combination of Peanut butter batter swirled with a chocolate peanut butter batter and it doesn't stop there. The frosting is a peanut butter cream cheese frosting swirled with a peanut butter chocolate frosting. oh yeah....if you need a chocolate peanut butter fix here it is :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications 2012

Yields: 24 Cupcakes and 12 mini Cupcakes

Bake Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups Flour

2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Butter

1/3 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1 Cup packed Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

3 Eggs

1 Cup Almond Milk

4 Ounces Bitter Sweet Dark Chocolate

Directions

Let your butter and eggs stand for at least room temp for 30 Minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 F and line 2 cupcake tins with paper cups and a mini tin with small paper cups.

In a medium bowl combine your flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In a large bowl beat the butter for 30 seconds on medium speed in a electric mixer then add the peanut butter mix until combined. Add the brown sugar and sugar about 1/4 at a time, beat on medium speed until combined. scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 2 more minutes or until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Mix in Vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the batter until fully combined.

Place half of the batter in a separate bowl, add the melted chocolate to the large bowl on the electric mixture and beat till combined.

Fill the muffin cups by alternating spoonfuls of the peanut butter and chocolate batter. add to about 2/3 full and use a butter knife or chopsticks to swirl the batter.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. remove from tin and cool on wire rack.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese at room temp

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

2 teaspoons Vanilla

6 Cups Powdered Sugar

4 ounces melted Dark Chocolate

Almond Milk to help thin out the frosting

Directions

Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and vanilla in a electric mixer until combined. Add the powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, use the milk to help thin out the frosting until the desired consistency. Once all the powdered sugar is mixed, place half the batter into a separate bowl.

Add 4 ounces of cooled melted chocolate into one of the bowls with the peanut butter frosting and beat with an electric mixture, adding in milk to help complete the desired consistency.

To pipe

using a pastry bag with a star tip place chocolate frosting to one side and the peanut butter frosting on the other side and pipe frosting into swirls. Top with candied recess pieces cups.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Raise your hand if you were like me as a kid and ate only the marshmallows from your bowl of Lucky Charms- I considered it a game I would either A. eat all the "yucky" toasted cereal first so what was left it my bowl were the glorious sugary marshmallows. or B. Fish around for the just the marshmallows and leave behind the toasted cereal and not eat any of it.
I dare say that these meringues remind me of Lucky Charms marshmallows. I was really surprised and impressed how well these meringues not only cooked in the oven but tasted so great and reminiscent of a favorite childhood cereal. Plus I just had fun with the colors and wanted to go more with an Easter palate today.

Tie Dyed Meringues

Adapted from Women's World Magazine (April 2, 2012 issue)

Bake Time: 45 Minutues

Cool Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

4 Egg Whites at room temp (Mine were straight from the fridge and still worked)

1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1 Cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

and food coloring

Directions

Set oven to 225F Lined 2 cookie sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray and set aside

To do the tie dyed effect, transfer your mixture evenly into three separate bowls and add a couple drops of food coloring and mix well with a whisk (clean after mixing each bowl)

using a pastry bag or zip lock bag with a star piped fitting, Place about two spoonfuls of each different color into the bag. I would put the blue on the left side of the bag and the pink in the middle and do the purple more towards the right side.

Pipe about 1 inch round mounds onto the foil lined cookie sheets

Bake for 45 minutes. Turn off oven and cool in oven for 1 hour.

and Enjoy some "Lucky Charms" Marshmallows ;)

I also have to say Thank you to the lovely Kit from I-Lost in Austen. I woke up to the best news today. She had passed on the Liebster Award to me :) I gotta say I was so excited and genuinely surprised. Thank you Kit for thinking of me and for makin my weekend awesome :)

What is the Liebster Blog Award

Liebster is German for "Dearest" The award is given to inspirational bloggers with less than 200 followers. Its a great way to showcase other bloggers who have just started and bring some attention to all the other wonderful blogs out there.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Have you've ever had corn nuts? They're not the healthiest snack to eat by any means. But once in a great while on long car rides I like to buy them just for that satisfying crunch and saltiness. These roasted chickpeas remind me a lot of corn nuts, but extremely more healthy. You can add any spice you want and a little olive oil and you not only have a crunchy snack but its packed full of protein. I like to keep a stash around to take to work, especially since it seems I'm always rushing for time, and when its too late to make a snack all I have to do is grab a little baggie of chickpeas.

Directions
Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees F
Drain and rinse your chickpeas and pat dry on a paper towel.
Toss everything into a bowl and mix until all the spices and ingredients are combined.
using a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, lay your chickpeas out in a signal layer.

Bake on the middle rack for about 45-50 minutes. Make sure to toss about half way through. When finished, if you test one out by eating it and its still a little soft in the middle, bake for another 3-5 minutes and test one again.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

I love the weekend cause that means dessert time! I've been patiently waiting to use my donut pan and the time has finally come. I'm not a big fan of frying food in a vat of oil, at least not in my kitchen. Now I'm not saying I don't like ordering something fried every now again at a restaurant or buying fried doughnuts from Mr. Doughnut in the mall ;) I like to pretend and ignore the fact that the same thing happens at the restaurant. Sometimes ignorance is pure bliss. But I just can't fry something in my own kitchen because then I physically see how much oil is being soaked up.

I don't know why I chose tropical flavors, it just came together when I went to the store today to pick up a few items and noticed that the produce actually looked fresh. I thought mangos and kiwi would go great with coconut and if I can sneak anything in with coconut I will.

1/2 Cup Almond Milk (you can also use milk, buttermilk or soymilk)* I wish I had used coconut milk, next time!

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 Cup Kiwi (diced small)

1/2 Cup Mango (diced small)

For the Coconut Glaze and Toasted Coconut

3/4 Cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 Tablespoon Coconut Milk

1/2 Cup sweetened coconut

Directions

Preheat oven 350 Degrees F

Lightly grease a donut pan

In a large bowl using a electric mixer or a whisk mix your flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add your milk, butter and coconut extract. Mix well.

Stir in your mangos and kiwi.

Fill each donut mold in the pan to about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 Minutes. The donut should spring back when touched and slightly brown.

Remove donuts from pan and let cool, turn your oven to broil and start the glaze.

For the glaze in a small bowl add your coconut extract and coconut milk. Whisk in your powdered sugar a little at a time until full blended and smooth.

For the toasted coconut, take a cookie sheet and sprinkle a thin layer of sweetened coconut. place on the middle rack and watch it closely~only takes less than 60 seconds for the coconut to toast on broil.

Glaze your donuts and sprinkle with your toasted coconut.

I also have to say thank you to my friend Tess from Slowcookingkitchen :) she nominated me for the Happy Blogger Award. I was sincerely surprised and "Happy" that she would think of me.

There are no specific rules for this award besides selecting 10 fellow bloggers and passing it onto them. I would like to nominate ...

About Me

Welcome to Oishii Treats! I'm a Staff Sergeant serving in the Air Force currently stationed in Japan with my husband. I'm obsessed with trying new recipes and developing my own. I love to cook anything vegetarian and bake anything sweet, chocolaty and Oshii. (delicious in Japanese)